Jamdown

Chapter 34

Donavan Malt

Makada was in a crouch and Don was sitting, both were breathing hard, and their sweat dripped onto the dry grass. My limbs quaked with shivering intensity, threatening to be my downfall. "I never told you to kill yourselves," I replied.

Don leaned back and chuckled. "If it don't hurt it ain't fun." 

I knew pain, it was never fun, so I quirked an eyebrow at him, while Makada stood straight. 

Leon laughed and motioned at me. "Got to love their enthusiasm."

I guessed that was a good thing, but would they be good players was what I was wondering. 

Irwin was taking off his shirt off after he walked away from his sister and Vanessa. The others were gathering around me with the shining gleam of sweat on their bodies. 

I breathed out in serenity watching each face in succession. Everyone was here, and it felt good to see more than five people too.

We had a team now, granted, we still needed some more players, but it brought a smile to my face to see all these tired faces.

Modric asked, "Something funny?"

I nodded my head and forced my joy down to not get carried away. We had to train and get better. "All right, we're going to start with some catching exercises." My eyes floated over to Makada. "Makada, you ready?"

She nodded her head. "Yeah."

I threw the ball, and she caught the edge of it. 

I said, "Everybody line up."

She twirled the ball in a mesmerized wonder.

I approached her and pointed at the seem of the football. "You remember what I showed you?" 

Makada spun the ball in the clasp of her hand. She stopped with the white threaded seam in front of her, then she stared up at me with glossed-over eyes and flat lips. 

I said, "Try it."

Makada looked ahead. I motioned at Mason, who was our best catcher in the team to step up, even though I still wished I had Jake. Receivers were one of the things that I needed if we were going to win, but most of the players sucked at catching the ball.

Mason was twenty feet away with his hands opened out, waiting for the ball. Makada bounced the ball in her hands, looking between Mason and the ball.

Makada was standing straight, and I expected her to throw it from that stance, but I saw her pull back her left leg and from the twisting ankle to the rounding of her hip to her flicking left hand, she sailed it right at Mason.

Mason should have caught it but fumbled it. That was good, minus the toe drag, the ball going wide off-target, and her awkward arm angle, but she did reasonably better than most people who try it. She definitely was better than me at throwing if we worked out those kinks.

As far as her being better than me, it solicited a frown, yet should I be surprised? My skill was always in question in comparison to others, but I had to lead these guys to victory even though I was terrible at being a quarterback. 

Makada was going to be useful to us in case something bad happened.

I said, "All right let's run some drills! Makada, work on making it accurate." She nodded her head as she bounced the ball into the air. 

We ran the drills and I kept an eye on the new people. Don couldn't catch and Kimini was just as bad.

Terry was different.

Even with Makada and me throwing the ball wide, he was always able to stretch and touch it. Half the time he didn't catch the ball but that was better than everyone else so Terry was the superstar in our eyes.

My arms were getting weaker now, and it annoyed me that the steroids were not effective once I got tired, but I needed to toughen it out until I got home and rest. 

I threw the ball at Irwin and with relative ease, he fumbled the ball that surrendered a sigh from me. "Come on, try to catch the ball man." 

Irwin shrugged. "I ain't no receiver."

I frowned, while a few players laughed. He may have returned and that swelled me with a lot of happiness, but he was still a difficult person to deal with. "It would be nice if you could catch. Just learn it."

"I thought that was the Driver Boy's job." Irwin gestured at Terry.

Terry turned with a scowl. 

I groaned then said, "Everybody need to learn. We're not talking about that right now."

Irwin made a scoffing and spun away from us. 

Makada walked up behind me. "He's quite a treat."

I turned to her and laid my hand on my hips. "Yeah, everything 'bou him grief me. Still, though you need a player you can practice catching with. And I mean after training."

Her head went up. "Oh, yeah, I can do that. Which player?"

I was not even sure where to start. Terry was most likely the best option but would he be receptive to it?

"Terry."

"Who's Terry?"

I gestured with a twist of my face at Terry walking with Kimani. 

Makada made a momentary glance in that direction and reset her head. "Short man? He'll be great then."

I could only hope. 

"Hey."

I looked down at her and her facial expression mirrored something odd, uncomfortable even. 

"Yeah?" I asked.

"Will I play?"

I would have preferred it if she did not play. Then again did I have a choice?

I was never good at being a quarterback. My preference was defense and I was not even good at that. Irwin was for lack of a word making me look good.

If she was good, she should play but she was so short and delicate. A quarterback should be tall and strong. The fact that she was a woman made it worse.

Was that why she asked the question? Did she fear I would hold her back?

"You're going to play. It's just because we have to go through the other players first. You know, we—"

"I'm not the first choice? That's why I asked. Nodelyn said you were the quarterback before me. She said I could be the throwing guy, well girl to be more accurate."

Nodelyn told her too much.

I was not even sure I wanted to do that for what I wanted to do was win. 

Could I win with her?

My hands were tied. "Yeah, you'll play. But onl—"

"If I'm ready?"

I shuddered at her ability to grab my concerns from the void and bring them to the fore. "Of course."

Her eyes sharpened as she passed me. "Then I'll be ready. Watch me. I'll make sure we win."

That face, those eyes, something scared me but it was not the possibility of her being destroyed. It was what was going to happen to our opponents.

Makada had the eyes I used to have. 

Shame washed over me for I should have known better. 

I nodded my head. "I think—no, I know you will."